Who Wants to Buy the Clippers?

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Floyd Mayweather

NBA commissioner Adam Silver emphatically ousted maligned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling Tuesday, handing down a lifetime ban from the team and the NBA and a $2.5 million fine to the echoing applause of basketball players, executives and fans everywhere. Silver “strongly encouraged” NBA owners to force Sterling to sell the team after his alleged racist rant was recorded and leaked to TMZ.com, and then took over newswires across the country.

Since then, potential buyers have come out of the woodwork. Most recently, boxing star Floyd Mayweather publicly expressed serious interest, telling reporters in Las Vegas on Saturday that he had spoken to his advisors about teaming with Mayweather Promotions chief executive Leonard Ellerbe and Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer, among others, to purchase the squad. Could you image Floyd having run of the place at the Staples Center? Would Lob City be renamed The Money Team?

But Mayweather isn’t the only big name readying for a run at the Clips. Here are some other names looking to get into the mix.

Magic Johnson

Wouldn’t it be ironic? This whole thing starts when Sterling’s mistress posts a photo on Instagram with Magic. Sterling allegedly says in the recorded conversation that he did not want his girlfriend bringing Magic, a former Lakers great, or any black person, to a Clippers games. Yahoo! Sports later reported that Johnson and the Guggenheim Partners had interest in buying the Clippers, a report that Johnson denied.

David Geffen

The billionaire media mogul told Forbes that he “would very much like to buy the team” if Sterling decides to sell. Four years ago he reportedly offered Sterling $600 million for the club. Reports now say Sterling stands to make a cool billion for selling the team that he paid $12 million for in 1981.

Sean "Diddy" Combs

Just moments after the league’s press conference where Silver announced the lifetime ban, hip hop mogul P. Diddy, also known as Sean Combs, tweeted “I will always be a Knicks fan, but I am a business man. #DiddyBuyTheClippers #NameYourPrice.”

Rick Ross

Ricky Rozay also made his interest known via Twitter, pushing out a tweet that said: “I’d be interested investing in @LAclippers!!!! Make It #WingstopArea @WingstopCEO Lets Gooo!!!” Ross owns the Wingstop fast food franchise. Free wings at halftime?